Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 20 Jun 1996

Vol. 467 No. 3

Written Answers. - Dublin Schools Staffing.

Joe Costello

Ceist:

84 Mr. Costello asked the Minister for Education the plans, if any, she has to increase the staffing arrangements at Christian Brothers primary school, North Brunswich Street, Dublin 7, in view of her policy of allocating extra teachers to schools in disadvantaged areas. [13103/96]

Joe Costello

Ceist:

85 Mr. Costello asked the Minister for Education the plans, if any, she has to increase the staffing arrangements at Stanhope Street Convent primary school, Dublin 7, in view of her policy of allocating extra teachers to schools in disadvantaged areas. [13104/96]

Minister for Education (Ms Bhreathnach)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 84 and 85 together.

As the Deputy may be aware, I recently launched an important initiative which seeks to break the cycle of educational disadvantage in selected urban and rural areas. The initiative is in response to reports which I commissioned from the Combat Poverty Agency and the Education Research Centre. In line with the recommendations in the reports, a targeted programme of supports is being made available to 25 selected schools in designated areas of disadvantage in the Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Galway and Waterford urban areas. In addition, 25 clusters of small schools with fewer than five teachers, and particularly those in rural areas with high levels of disadvantage, will receive a targeted programme of supports. Schools from all parts of the country with fewer than five teachers are eligible to apply for inclusion in this scheme.

The Education Research Centre has recently been in touch with all the schools in question, including the schools referred to by the Deputy, inviting their application. The centre will prioritise all applications in terms of level of need as represented by the data submitted by the schools and will advise my Department of the outcome. Schools selected as a result of this process will be invited to submit five-year development plans. Each such plan will be required to identify current difficulties and put forward specific proposals and targets for addressing the problems of educational disadvantage. Qualification for support will depend on the submission of suitable development plans.